Life's Score
by AlanaFaith2
Summary: The girls in the mother-daughter book club are growing up! Join them in their struggles and joys as you see them navigate their junior year! Couples: Cassidy/Tristan, and Jess/Darcy. Others are included, those are the main ones.


**A/N: Hello! This is my first Mother-Daughter Book Club fan-fiction, and I honestly have no idea where this thing is going. I wasn't even going to publish this originally, but whatever. It will mostly revolve around Cassidy and Tristan, with some Jess and Darcy thrown in. This might be a one-shot, a two-shot, or a full blown book. Tell me what you would like in a review! I'm mostly focusing on my Narnia story, so this will have rather long breaks between updates. Cassidy might be slightly OOC in this chapter, but in my opinion this is where she becomes a little less tough around the edges. Please Review!**

* * *

**~Cassidy~**

I should not be freaking out right now. It's just Tristan. It's just...; I stare at the mirror. My hair, which was once bright red and conveniently messy, is now almost auburn and straight and silky and smooth. Which is incredibly annoying, especially considering my mother loves my hair change. But I know something's weird when the day comes when Becca Chadwick is jealous of my hair. And I know she is, because I've seen the way that she looks at it. _And_ the fact that Zach Norton is particularly attracted to my hair. Which is annoying because I've given him enough hints to leave me alone. But he just won't let it go! Heck, I've even broken up with him and he is still chasing after me. Even though I have a boyfriend. An amazing one whose name is Tristan Berkeley. Who is the most gorgeous guy on the planet. I mentally slap myself.

_Seriously, Cassidy, you're not supposed to be freaking out over boys. That is Becca's job. And I do not want to turn into Becca Chadwick. _

"CASSIDY ANN! YOU NEED TO HURRY UP; THE BERKELEY'S PLANE TOUCHES DOWN IN THREE HOURS!" my mother yells up the stairs. This time I physically slap myself to bring me back down to earth.

Tristan. My amazing British boyfriend who is coming back to America. I haven't seen him for a year. Well, except for video chat, of course. Heck, I didn't even think I would have a boyfriend. Like Ever. Especially not Tristan, who was a total snob to me when he was here for his junior year while his family lived in America. An ice princess, I used to call him, named after how he does ice dancing. There were other names I would rather not repeat now, Tristan Jerkeley, and Mr. Fancypants, were two, the latter being appropriately named because of his notorious spandex suit he used to wear. I hate fashion, that's Megan's department, but even I could see the horror of that spandex. And of course a certain photo of that suit got all of us girls into heaps of trouble, with most of it being blamed on Megan, who posted it on her blog.

And then there was the Zach Norton stage. I shouldn't even be having stages about my love life! I shouldn't even have a love life! Just the thought of it makes me feel like barfing. What was he even thinking by kissing me in eighth grade?! We had a brief relationship, but I broke up with him because, well, Tristan kissed me, and I couldn't ever shake that memory from my head. His kiss was just so, well, wonderful, and amazing, and... I'm starting to really sound like Becca Chadwick now. I should not be gushing on about boys! I am Cassidy Ann Sloane, self-professed jock, hockey champion, and hater of anything pink.

But all that changed once I met Tristan. Well, technically, all that changed after Tristan stopped being a total jerk and kissed me. Not that I wanted him, to kiss me, of course, or maybe I did. URGGHH!

"CASSIDY ANN!—," my mother yells again.

"I'm coming!" I yell back down, quickly scooping my hair back into a floppy ponytail, my preferred hairstyle. But then I think better of it, and leave my hair down, thinking about Tristan again.

I throw on some jeans and a t-shirt; I may be hyped about Tristan arriving, but I still hate dressing up. No, the hair is the farthest I will go.

I jump down the stairs, sliding down the railing as I go, and generally making a lot of noise. My mother, the world famous Clementine Sloane-Kinkaid; former supermodel and now she stars in her own cooking show, rolls her eyes as I run into the kitchen. She and my three year old sister Chloe are already downstairs, dressed perfectly. My mother, of course, has control of Chloe's wardrobe, but I'm already making plans about how this little darling is going to learn to skate. And play hockey, not figure skating at that. Mind you, I _suppose_ figure-skating isn't all that bad, I would never admit this to anyone, but I kind of enjoyed having my stint at it. Especially with Tristan as my skating partner.

I mentally slap myself again.

"What?" I ask, not paying attention to my mother's question. She rolls her eyes and repeats it.

"Surely you want to wear something a little nicer than that to see Tristan?" she asks me, her eyes brimming with hopefulness. It's a trial for her, having me for a daughter.

"Nope," I say, popping the 'p'. She sighs.

"Well, at least you paid some attention to your hair."

At that moment, my step-father Stanley walks into the kitchen. He walks over to my mother and she kisses the top of his head. I gag at the sight. No teen likes to see PDA between their parents (or in my case, step-parents). Especially since my mother is so much taller than Stanley.

"Good morning, Clemmie," he says to my mother. I inwardly gag again at his repulsive nickname for my mother. I've sort of gotten used to it now, but it is still weird. I try to ignore them and walk over to the cupboard and pour some cereal into a bowl.

"When are we going to the airport?" I ask; my mouth full of cereal and milk. My mother makes a disgusted sound at my poor manners.

"As soon as possible, oh, Chloe!" She exclaims, my little sister having poured the remaining contents of her breakfast on her head. I roll my eyes, knowing that 'possible' will be a while.

My mother wipes up the mess on Chloe's seat and then she scoops her up and carries her upstairs to the bathroom. I quickly eat the rest of my breakfast and then I put the bowl into the dishwasher.

"So," Stanley says, as he pours himself some coffee, "Excited about today, huh?" I immediately know he's trying to make me admit about Tristan and instead I shoot him a dark look. If looks could kill he'd be six feet under by now. "Or not." He says, sipping his coffee. I know he's just making small talk, so I start talking about the Red Sox instead.

"So, what do you think are the Red Sox's chances of winning the World Series this year?" Yeah, lame, I know, but it was the best thing I could think of. Stanley gives me a look.

"Seriously, Cassidy?" I roll my eyes.

"How about we just don't talk."

"Yeah, okay," Stanley replies. Then he coughs and looks up at me. "Um, actually there was something I wanted to talk to you about." I sigh and then look at him.

"Yeah?" I ask.

"Well, your mother and I were talking," uh-oh, this is usually bad, "and we just want you to not get carried away with Tristan, after all-," I nearly choke on my coffee and he has to stop talking for a moment.

"Eew, that's disgusting," I say, and walk out of the room and into my bedroom, with a creeped-out expression on my face.

"You're only sixteen you know, Cassidy, and there's plenty of other-," Stanley yells, but in response I just slam the door in his face. Yeah, childish, I know, but seriously, I didn't need the talk about boys right now.

Thankfully my phone rings just then. I read the caller ID and answer it as I sit down on my bed.

"Hey, Megan, what's up?" I ask.

"Nothing, just wanted to see how you were." That was weird. Megan doesn't usually do that. Then it clicks.

"Megs, you just want to talk about Simon, and you guessed that because I'm dating his brother I would be the best person."

"That is not true! Well, technically, maybe..." Her voice trails off. I roll my eyes, but deep down, it's brought me and Megan closer now that we're both dating one of the Berkeley boys. "Oh, I'm just so excited I get to see Simon again!" She says into the phone. Simon and his parents are coming for a week to settle Tristan in Boston University and so is, unfortunately, Annabelle a.k.a. Stinkerbelle. She is studying at Boston University as well, naturally, because Tristan and Annabelle are still competing in ice dancing. They actually have a chance at making the next Olympics, from what Tristan has told me. I don't know how Tristan persuaded Annabelle to move to America, I guess he must be pretty stubborn. Actually, I know he is pretty stubborn.

Usually talking about boys creeps me out, I'm not a boy-crazy person, obviously, but Tristan is the one exception for me. Naturally I don't tell anyone that, or else they'll never let me live it down.

"Oh, yeah, I'll bet he's excited to see you too," I reply, noncommittally.

"Cass, come on, admit it, you're just as excited about seeing Tristan as I am about seeing Simon."

"I don't have a clue about what you're talking about," I lie.

"Oh, come on, Cass. Besides, I know Tristan is excited to see you too. Simon texted me before he got on the plane and said Tristan was basically freaking out because he was going to see you," Megan replies. Inside, I feel my heart skip a beat. Does he really feel like that too?

"Oh," I reply again, hoping my voice wouldn't betray me.

"Fine, when are you leaving for the airport?" Both of our families are greeting the Berkeley's up at the airport, considering we're the closest to them. The rest of the mother-daughter book club are seeing them at the welcome back party we're throwing them later. The party was naturally my mother's idea, who loves decorating and throwing parties.

"As soon as Mom is finished getting Chloe's breakfast out of her hair." I hear a sound which was a combination of 'awww' and 'eeewww' from the other side of the line. I chuckle to myself.

"We're just about to leave now."

"OK. I guess I'll see you at the airport then," I reply, and after saying goodbye, I hang up the phone and walk into the hallway just as Mom comes out of the bathroom with Chloe in her arms, wearing a new outfit and with clean hair.

"Let's go before anything else can happen," says Mom, "STANLEY! WE'RE GOING!" My step-father appears at the bottom of the staircase.

"Would you like me to start the car?" He asks.

"Yes, please, Cassidy, could you get Chloe's shoes on while I make the last few preparations for later?" she replies, handing me Chloe before I can respond no. Chloe makes a face at me.

"You said it, monkey-face," I say, deliberately trying to wind my mother up.

"Don't call her that," she says automatically. My step-father grins at me from the door. It's a private joke between us about how Mom gets so riled when I call Chloe that. Of course, I don't mean it in a bad way, she's pretty cute when she's not dirty.

Soon I put Chloe in her car seat and climb into the seat next to her. Not long after, my mother finally walks out of the house and we finally pull out of the driveway. Stanley is driving and we quickly pull onto the motorway.

* * *

The rest of the journey is relatively uneventful. Well, except for a few times when Stanley yelled at other drivers (he does have a problem with road rage, which most people wouldn't expect of him). Mom spent the whole time on her phone texting Fred Goldberg; the producer of her cooking show, she must have been preparing her next episode. Chloe spent her time either napping or fussing.

I was trying to play it cool, but inside I felt like I was screaming. I wish I didn't feel like this. It was so much easier when boys were just my friends. Also, I haven't been going gaga over boys from 5th grade onwards; unlike some certain people I could name, so this is all new to me. I'm still not going gaga over boys now, just one certain dark haired, blue eyed boy named Tristan Berkeley. I can't help worrying that he'll not want to be my boyfriend anymore. I don't know if I would be able to cope if he broke up with me. I hate it that he makes me feel so weak and needy, but he does! Of course, if he wanted to break up with me he wouldn't move to America, would he? At least that's what I tell myself.

At last we finally reach the airport. We park the car and Mom gets the stroller out of the trunk for Chloe. We had to tidy up the car earlier, we're giving Tristan and Annabelle a ride back to our house; the Wong's are taking Simon and his parents, and all the suitcases and stuff are coming in our car, as it's bigger.

Personally, I would have preferred it if Annabelle hadn't of come, but she had to because they have a really good chance of making the next Olympics if they work hard. So she has to train with Tristan. I guess Tristan won the argument about where they train, and the deal was that Annabelle came with him. But hey, it's better than never seeing him again.

* * *

We all make our way towards the arrivals department. I see the Wong's already there, Megan's leaning up against the glass divide, and holding up an incredibly artistic sign that said 'Welcome Berkeley Family!' which she probably drew herself.

I walk over to her and push myself next to her.

"Move over," I command to her, trying to get my own space next to the glass.

"Cassidy Ann!" exclaims my mother, while Megan rolls her eyes.

"Yes, bossy," she replies.

"Cassidy Ann Sloane, you should at least say hello before you bully people!" My step-father snorts at this.

"Clemmie, that's not very good advice," he says.

"Alright, say hello and don't bully people," Mom says, correcting herself. Mrs. Wong laughs.

"Hello, Clementine," she says, and then the two of them dive into conversation about the party later. I turn my attention instead to Megan, whose looking at me with a sly expression on her face.

"What?" I ask, innocently.

"Don't worry, I'll blame it on nerves." I shoot Megan a dark look in reply. She quickly changes the subject.

"So, do you know when their plane will get here?" she asks me.

"It was supposed to land fifteen minutes ago, so they should be here any minute now." At that second after I finish talking both Megan and my phones beep. We simultaneously pull them out and laugh when we see that we have the same message from both Simon and Tristan.

'OFF PLANE, MAKING OUR WAY TO CUSTOMS' Tristan's text reads.

'OK, BOTH MEGAN AND I ARE WAITING FOR YOU GUYS AT ARRIVALS'.

'GREAT, CAN'T WAIT TO C U'.

'ME 2', I reply, before hesitating for a second, I don't want to seem _too _eager. Megan and I exchange another smile before I put my phone in my back jean pocket.

I hate the way Tristan makes me feel. He makes me feel excited and nervous and energized and weak and just about every emotion in one. And at the same time I love it. But I'm not supposed to feel weak! I'm supposed to be the strong one! I'm the one with a smart answer to other people's snide remarks. Except with Tristan every time I look into his blue eyes, I feel something inside of me melt, a resolve, or something.

I try not to think about it, and instead I turn to Megan.

"So, you're coming later to the welcome back party Mom's throwing, right?" Yeah, I know, lame again.

"Duh, of course," she replies. Then we both realize conversation is futile and we resolve to stand there and wait patiently, or as patiently as possible. Which wasn't very patient at all.

Chloe starts fussing and I take her out of her stroller and pick her up for a moment. I never thought I would be able to stand Chloe as much as I can. Another change that's happened over the last few years. It's hard to keep everything straight in my head, all the changes that's happened. Dad dying, moving here, book club, Mom marrying Stanley, Lady Shawmuts, Chloe, and then Tristan, and Zach, and then Tristan again.

Something catches the corner of my eye and I turn towards the arrivals gate, after handing Chloe to Mom. I hear Megan gasp beside me and I know she sees it too. First I see a tall boy, and then a shorter one behind him, then they pass through the gate. I can hardly believe it, Tristan is right here! He looks the same, thank goodness. I stand spellbound for a moment, and Megan gathers her senses before me and starts waving her sign wildly. I see Tristan turn around and he spots us.

"Cassidy!" he yells, and he starts making a mad dash towards me, and I start sprinting towards him too. I don't care who sees.

I round the corner at the same time as Tristan does and he catches me in his arms. Oh, it feels so good to be in his arms again! I hear him panting against me, but before I do anything he releases me and kisses me. His kiss is tender and gentle, yet firm. I kiss him back, and we are only separated a few minutes later by my step-father breaking us apart. I notice the faintest blush on Tristan's cheeks, and I know mine are bright red too.

"It's really good to see you," he says to me, as we move to the side.

"Yeah, I'm glad to see you too," I reply, as he still holds me in his arms.

"Ahem," Annabelle coughs behind Tristan, we turn around and she is standing there with her arms crossed. I guess she still hasn't got over him.

"Hello Annabelle," I say, without enthusiasm. I twist my head around and I see Megan and Simon having an equally joyful reunion minus Stinkerbelle.

"Well, shall we collect the bags?" asks Simon to Tristan, breaking the ice. He nods, and releases me from his arms. Annabelle sulkily goes and stands next to Mrs. Berkeley, who was saying hello to my mother and Mrs. Wong.

"Be nice to Annabelle, she gave up a lot so that I could train closer to you," Tristan whispers in my ear, and I feel the heat in my cheeks rise at his mouth being so close. I nod, sighing to myself. Luckily Tristan doesn't get mad about how I don't really like Annabelle, I guess he's had his own fare share of run-ins with her. I look up at Tristan, who is just about the only person I know who is taller than me apart from Mom. His blue eyes are just as piercing as ever and if possible I think he's grown more handsome.

I shake myself out of it; I'm turning into some sort of version of a boy-crazy Becca Chadwick again!

We quickly collect their bags, and I see Megan and Simon talking incessantly to each other. Tristan and I mostly walk in silence.

Tristan soon breaks the silence though.

"I've missed you," he says, in a voice so quiet only I could hear.

"I should hope so," I reply, not really thinking before I said it. I should have probably said something like 'I've missed you too,' which I did, of course. Tristan grins at my natural response.

"And there's the Cassidy who's my girlfriend," he says, softly. To my annoyance, I find myself blushing.

"And you're saying what you just saw was not me?" I ask, acting all tough.

"It was, but it was a different side of you, a side that only I see," he replies, tenderly. I snort at his attempt at complimenting me. Tristan grins again, and I begin to relax and feel more like my normal self.

During the ride home, we sit mostly in silence, except for Mom asking Stinkerbelle a few questions about her life, trying to make up for my coldness to her, I suppose. Tristan and I sit in the back, silently, and we don't hold hands or anything, but I let Tristan nudge me with his knee a few times. Pretty soon he gets tired of that and puts his arm around me. For once I don't complain.

Stanley cocks his eyebrow at us from the front, but my mother notices and says "Oh, leave them alone, Stanley, they've just been reunited!" Tristan blushes at this, and Annabelle gives us the death glare. I glare back. Then I give my mother the death glare too, for being so blunt. That's supposed to be my job! My mother blushes at her slip-up.

By the time we arrive back home, the Delaneys and the Hawthornes are already there. I look around for the Wongs but they haven't arrived yet. My mother jumps out of the car, gracefully, of course, and starts apologizing profusely to them for the fact that we're late. Which, if my mother had thought about it, would have happened anyway because Tristan's plane was late.

Jess and Emma walks over to me, and Tristan gets reacquainted with Darcy while we talk.

"Where's Megan?" asks Emma.

"They're coming..." and before I can say 'now', the Wong's car pulls up into the driveway.

"Geez, Cass, your skills at predicting when they were coming was amazing," says Tristan, teasing me. I swat him before I jog over to Megan, blushing. He must have overheard me talking. As Megan and I walk back to join the others I hear him say to Darcy, "Ow! She is strong!"

"Well, duh, I'm a hockey player," I reply to Tristan. He jumps and I don't think he thought that I had heard him.

Pretty soon the Chadwicks turn up and we all go inside. The party is sort of a welcome back/goodbye party for Darcy and Stewart, (who are going to Dartmouth and I think Stewart is going to UMass respectively) and are leaving later this week. My mother outdid herself with the decorations. Our entire house has banners and frills and signs everywhere. Somehow she roped me into helping her as well, and we spent all of yesterday putting them up. It's all pointless, if you ask me, but of course Mom didn't.

I looked around at my friends and family, well... and Stinkerbelle. She doesn't count as either. With the exception of Stinkerbelle, all my loved ones are here. Even Sophie decided to pop in for a visit, and wish Tristan and Annabelle luck. Chloe toddled over to me.

"Dee-Dee, up, up!" She throws up her sticky little arms and I pick her up. She grins at me.

"Thank you, Dee-Dee." She sighs, happily, and buries her face into my neck. I play with her hair, as Tristan turns to look at me and smirks.

This was so far pretty perfect.

Cassidy Sloane: 100 - universal forces that are against me: 0.


End file.
